Batteries are heavy

[AlanT]

I spent much of today planning and removing 4 X 'golf cart batteries' from beneath the floor of my boat. These constituted a 24v supply for the bow thruster and windlass, supported by a a dedicated charger, a tap from a main engine alternator and also supplied (through a converter) 12v to the helm instruments.

Each 6v battery weighed around 70lb. The location was offset from the hatch where I could lift them up to, so it was a significant heft for an old fart (65/230). I took it easy and at high tide (as the ramp from my marina is 45 degrees at low tide.). Glad to have that one under my belt.

Am replacing 4x 230 CCA 6v Deep Cycle liquid batteries with 2 x 12v Group 31 Lifeline AGM Cranking batteries of 1200 CCA. (24v system).
~A

 

[markpierce]

yes they are. requires me to hire help

 

[hmason]

This week I replaced 2 batteries that weighed about 200 lbs each. 8d AGMs in series for 24v engine start. I paid a couple of younger farts than me to do the heavy lifting. Although I must say that at $800 each I did some heavy lifting too. And, I was happy to locate a supplier that had them.

 

[Simi 60]

Lightweight

Our 8 X 22Oah AGM are 143lb each making an 850lb bank.
Got them in, not getting them out nor the previous set they replaced.

New LFP bank with double the useable ah weighs 275lb total

 

[hmason]

Simi, I considered LFP but did not completely understand if my charger was compatible. Figured by the time these need replacing the next owner will face the issue.

 

[porman]

8D replacement

Replacing 8D batteries with a LifeSling pulley. Sorry about the sideways pictures.

 

[Lepke]

I use 8d batteries. When it's changing time I hire a couple young gorillas.
In the old days when I still went into Seattle, the marine supply selling the batteries would remove and replace.

 

[Chuck34]

My boat has group 31 batteries. Not nearly as heavy as some of you guys have, but very awkward to install or remove for this 69 year old body. My method, get my wife’s help, who is in decent shape herself. I tie a rope to the battery handle. She stands on the deck above me while I’m sitting in the engine room and with her pulling, she takes at least 1/2 of the battery weight off of me, even on one battery that is at an angle and not a straight pull up. It really is a big help.

I did the same thing to help one of my dock neighbor and his was not anywhere close to a straight up pull, but I was able to take quite a bit of the battery weight off of him. Made a big difference.

 

[Bmarler]

I have 16 Trojan t-105’s nearing end of life. I’m pretty sure I’ll need help if I want to get it done in a reasonable time window. It’s not as easy to find help as it used to be.

 

[backinblue]

My boat has group 31 batteries that are resonably heavey but also not that accessible. It's one thing to lift them out of the trunk of you car, quite another to lift them when crawling in the bilge. My winter marina however chanrges a very resonable price to remove them, store them indoors with a trickle charge, and reinstall them in the spring. I think it is ~35/battery. No-brainer for me. I find it a little humorous at times that boaters will spend $10's of thousands per year to enjoy boating, but still insist on DIY of dirty difficult jobs that others are more suited to do for you. Not meaning top open up that debate, just an observation. Days of laying on my back in the boat yard to prep and paint the bottom are over for me.